news from zambia
CHILIZABOMBWE
I would like to thank God for enabling me to write this first letter to you to request a regular copy of Gospel News, so that I can have more encouragemen. I was baptized in August 2003 by Bro. Glen Mitchell in Chinsali. I was a Sunday School scholar, then I became a student and am now baptised. I am 21 years of age. I have been looking for a job for a long time but have not found one yet.
First of all I need to thank God for having mercy on me to enable me to grow up in His presence and to give me knowledge of knowing Him as my personal Saviour. Some people have no opportunity to know Him, they are wondering without knowing God, most of them are denying the truth and cling to what has no hope. For the world will pass away but the Word of God is from everlasting to everlasting. But for me, I have known the Lord and the Lord knows me; that’s why I have to praise Him and I have confidence in the Lord. I must thank Him very much. Let us lift up our heads because redemption is drawing near (Luke 21:28). I say to everyone, watch! love one another, do good to everyone. (Rom. 12:9-21, 13:11-14).
Bro. Lemmy Simwawa
CHIBOMBO
I want to inform you that I am no longer part of Mandona Ecclesia in Chinsali having shifted to Chibombo district after Kabwe town.
I hope I won’t have to leave this lovely Christian community in Chibombo. Only death will separate me from the Christadelphian community. Problems are everywhere but the only problem I am facing is wages. I am working on a farm but have not been paid since last October. I am married with four children, so there are great problems over spiritual well-being, and even of life. I look forward to brothers and sisters worldwide praying for me to get out of these bad times, as when God delivered the Israelites from slavery. As they rejoiced I look forward to wonderful times.
However, I am not scared with the present sufferings, they will pass, the real sufferings will be in the future for evildoers. I thank God for keeping me alive and strong during all this time and one day God will deliver us all.
Lastly, I ask everyone who is facing similar problems to be humble and pray to God every day and to remain with a pure heart. One day, God will answer our prayers.
Bro Ignatius Chilekwa
KABOMPO
Being without a helper is a state of being alone. Going to the Bible when God created everything so well, He created Adam and saw that it was not good for him to be alone. What was in the mind of God? Wasn’t it love? Adam was lonely, God thought of giving him his comforter. How wonderful it is! Do you have one comforter in your life? Many answers can come out of this question. Adam was given one that could help him. He was very happy because Eve was his special gift from his Maker. (Gen. 2:23-25). God set things in His order. God sets the lonely in families (Ps. 68:6). The love of God is so great. The prisoners are led into singing by his power. Do not worry, lonely people. Pray, pray, again and again, for God is our compassionate Father.
Bro. Amos Chikanda
KABWE
I would like to inform you that my Diploma results are out and the Almighty God made it possible for me to get through. I am just waiting to be employed and posted by the Zambian Government. The problem is nobody knows when we will be put on the pay roll. I hope and pray it doesn’t take more than a year, as I can’t bear the situation. This year’s rainy season is promising; in fact, I am considering going back to the land to keep me busy and have a little to eat, but I barely have anything for seeds and fertilizer.
Bro. Lapulani Malata
KAZEMBE
I have been travelling here and there through circumstances beyond my control. First of all my mother died on 24.09.06 after a short illness and old age of 84 years. From there our third born in our line, had his first born son die on 6,10.06 in Kitwe, Copperbelt, and then the first born in our family, had his first born also pass away in Lusaka on 21.10.06. Therefore all these movements have disturbed my thoughts and my correspondence with you. Last year wasn’t mine, but we can just leave everything in the hands of the Almighty God. May God be with you in everything that you are doing, particularly in proclaiming the Word of God.
Bro. James Mwanda Kambobe
Comment. You certainly had a very sad year last year and have the brethren and sisters sympathy and prayers. May our Master comes this year, when all will be made new, for ourselves and eventually for all the world.
KITWE
I have received the booklet on backyard rabbit farming in the tropics and it is a very interesting book and I have learnt more about rabbit farming. For this cause I have constructed at my farm a stable divided into four cages both in trees and bamboo. I hope to start with a few rabbits and gradually build up stock. Feeding them will be no problem for they will be fed with cabbages from the gardens and other vegetables.
Bro. Robert Mpungu Miwele
I first of all wish to ask for the assistance of a Bible with a concordance (NIV). The one I was given is torn due to the fact that I have many students here in my area, and none of them have Bibles. So I lend any student my Bible when they receive lessons from the UK.
Secondly, I wish to put my testimony of how I became a Christadelphian into ‘Gospel News’.I am in isolation, am about 78 km from Kitwe ecclesia. I first of all wish to congratulate the
Almighty Lord God for the true gospel He brought to me through Bro Darkwell Mubanga of Garneton. I spent most of my years in OMML Church and used to work as a church elder at Chisungabalanda CMML Church. Bro Darkwell preached the gospel to me but I did not believe him. I was puzzled because Bro Darkwell and I were in the same church, and used to do the same job of Church Preachers.
However, after a long time I started listening to what he used to tell me and came to believe that what he told me was the truth. Then I started lessons. After learning the true basics of the Bible, I left my former church and was baptised. I started sharing the truth of the Bible with others in Chati Forest community where I stay. I have many students who have even started doing the lessons. We have booked a class room at Fibale Middle Basic School where we gather for studies. I do thank Bro Robert Miwele and Bro Alex Mutale who visited us in Chati. My wife Ahatha Sela is baptised.
Bro Samuel Mubanga
KWE KWE
Christ, the spotless lamb of God, was about to present himself as a sin offering, that he would thus bring to an end the system of types and ceremonies. As he ate the Passover with his disciples he instituted in its place the services that were to be the memorial of his sacrifice. The national festival of the Jews was to pass away forever. The service which Christ established was to be observed by his followers in all lands and through all ages. The ordinance of the Lord’s supper was given to commemorate the great deliverance wrought out as the result of the death of Christ, till he shall come the second time in power and glory, this is to be celebrated. (1 Cor.11:23-26).
Bro. Raphael Mutoma
LIVINGSTONE
Livingstone Ecclesia is well I would like to thank you for the wonderful work being done. I received the books on the Truth safely and some booklets on production of some exotic vegetables and conservation farming which are very informative and I will put into practice. It was good to hear from you the evidence against the false claim that Jesus had children. It is true that this world is full of troubles. The Bible has good news, we are now walking towards the last days and the return of Jesus Christ is near. I would also be happy if you could send me an English dictionary as I find it very difficult to understand some words and it will help me so much. Please do not give up sending me books as they are so useful and upgrade our living. The book about Abraham, the father of the faithful is very interesting and nice to read and I am sure my ecclesia will learn more about Abraham, thank you so much.
Bro. Caphes Sikanyika
LUSAKA
Thank you for Gospel News in which I found some inspiring passages which encouraged me so much. Last month I went to the Bible School where I met brothers and sisters in Christ; it was the first time I had attended such a big occasion. The other thing is how I am getting inspired by the daily readings. I am the only Christadelphian in a school of approximately 2,000 pupils and am asking for your support. I am doing Grade 10.
Thank you for the book you sent me some weeks ago, I am so happy for your concern to my request, this shows me that you really care about me. Here in Lusaka I am enjoying being with my brethren on a daily basis when we meet together. I would like to inform you, next year God willing, I will be doing Grade 11 and I thank God for protecting me from all kinds of problems that I have gone through during my junior secondary school education.
Bro. Stephen Siamabi
I have moved from my usual address in Kabompo to Lusaka where I have come to pioneer a place for our next settlement. I want to thank you for the book “Legalism vs. Faith”. It really taught me many new things on faith and mere hypocritical worship. I know many are in this category, even some Christadelphians fall into it but how do we truly change to the right attitude of our Christianity? Rom. 8:28-31, indeed many are called but few are chosen. Faith really deals with the inside of a person; how many people know themselves in this way? If you belong to Christ then you are Abraham’s seed despite race, colour etc. We are at the moment, as a family, in a very difficult time. We are trying to settle in a new place which is the capital city of the country. We are leaving Kabompo because our contract jobs finished. We are praying that our Lord Almighty God may bless us in the name of Jesus Christ. We believe that our former employers may pay us our gratuities so that we can make use of it to start a living in Lusaka.
Bro. Francis Mukabe
MUFULIRA
If you have to contact your brother, can you love him and draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith? Good, but bring your brother to you and work together with him (1 John 2:10,11).
One command is: “Be subject one to another and be clothed with humility” (1 Peter 5:5). And the framework of understanding is in harmony with other apostolic teaching (Ephesians 5:21).
Dearly beloved, be of good courage and comfort your souls with the hope of our high reward. Bear the image of Christ in your mortal bodies that at his coming you may be made like his immortal body.
Bro Charles Daka
MUSOKA
So wonderful to hear from you and I want to acknowledge the information you gave me about the goat project which will actually go a long way in helping to sustain our lives and we hope to try it. It is so important to get in touch even if we cannot do or offer anything for brothers or sisters in need of comfort. But to send a letter can in a way give comfort, or if we pray for one another, this, too, is a wonderful personal service for the Lord. Paul keeps reminding us, and we should therefore keep reminding one another, that our work shall not be in vain, (1 Cor. 15:58) and surely one day a reward for good works shall be granted to us if we keep watch, (Luke 12:35-36). We need to do our best so that we can continue doing according to His will and should not forget to thank Him (1 Cor.15:57).
I am always strengthened when I read so much interesting material from you. It is nice to go through your encouraging letters and Gospel News. One of our sisters, Monde Nyambe, is away at college and therefore has a difficult life in isolation, but sometimes when she has extra money she makes it for the Sunday gathering but it is quite costly. I do not know if you can be sending her any literature to read to keep her loneliness away. Her address is Sister Monde Nyambe, Community Development College, Box 660078, Monze, Zambia. She would be happy to hear from you. I am also happy to let you know that I am just sending back marked work for my two students from Kalomo, Imelddah and Mary who have commenced lessons. One of them has asked me for a Tonga Bible, unfortunately I do not have one, I only have an English Bible which I am using. I hope God will always guide us in His glorious work for the coming Kingdom as we grow spiritually on a daily basis.
Bro. Wilfred Chibomba
NDOLA
I am grateful to acknowledge receipt of the important notes on citrus propagation and rootstocks. I currently have a small portion of an orchard with some oranges, lemons, guava, peaches and paw paws which require important technical information on how best to grow them. Similarly I will make a follow up with Mr. Mvula who has sworn willingness to study the Word of God using the Bible Basics as an introductory study.
Bro. Dennis C. Kombe
What is the purpose of God with the Ecclesias “The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” Revelation 3:21,22. Ecclesia(s), church: a body of people, an assembly, a congregation (Acts 7:37,38; 15:14).
Ecclesias need principles which are applied in a spirit of reconciliation and require persistence in Ecclesias to produce fellowship. What is fellowship? It is what we believe together as brothers and sisters throughout the world (Ephesians 4:1-16). As we journey to the Kingdom, let us help each other. Thanks be to the Lord God for His love and mercy
Bro Harris N Mulongesha
